Defence forces are finally opening combat roles for women officers. While three women cadets of the Indian Air Force train to become fighter pilots, the Army is also gearing up to accommodate women as combatant members.
A group of women cadets are undergoing training at Officers Training Academy (OTA) - Chennai in combat support which majorly includes combat engineers and air defence. Senior Army officers say depending on the response and feedback from the training and experience, further decision will be taken on their induction in combat roles.
The Army is also considering permanent commission for women officers in a few additional combat support, said Army PRO Colonel Rohan.
The Indian Army is currently considering offering permanent commission to women officers in a few additional combat support and technical arms and services, said Colonel Anand.
"Based on the experience gained and feedback from the environment, on the current employment of women officers in various arms and services, their enhanced employment will be considered at an appropriate time," the officer added.
Even though the first batch is being trained at OTA Chennai, but as and when the number of women cadets increase, there are chances of them being admitted to other training academies too. The women cadets are also given basic training of handling weapons.
As of January 2016, the Indian Army has 1,470 women officers. Every year, nearly 100 women officers are being commissioned into the Army.
When asked whether the proposal to induct women officers was because of shortage of officers in Army, Colonel Anand replied in the negative. "No, I don't think so. It is mainly done on gender equality."
In March 2016, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had told the Lok Sabha that the "Army (excluding Army Medical Corps, Army Dental Corps and Military Nursing Service), as on July 1, 2015, against the authorized strength of 49,631 officers, held strength of officers is 40,525 with shortage of 9,106".
After President Pranab Mukherjee in his joint address to Parliament on the first day of the 2016 Budget session said women officers will be inducted in fighter streams in armed forces, the proposal has been moving in a positive direction.
The Army is moving step by step keeping in view all the practical issues before inducting them for combat roles and training in combat support is the first step in this regard.
Till now, women officers are restricted to the engineering, medical and education corps. They are primarily commissioned as Short Service Officers.
While the IAF will commission its first women fighter pilot on June 18, 2016, the Army it will take some time.
According to senior officers it is because in the IAF there is human-to-machine contact but in Army it is human-to-human contact.
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